The Second Book of the Alienbutt Saga. The Rise of Mr Fluffy. Part 55.

Hydroponic piloted the ship into a docking space on the Ick control station. All around them the Ick fleet looked a hive of activity.
“Something’s got the Ick looking busy, Nifty. Do you think Wickede is getting some protection in after hearing what you did to Duke Ramboe's security force?”
“Very funny. It will be good to talk to civilised people again, you and those hunters are such Neanderthals.”
They had fallen into a tentative friendship over the last month based on small insults and Nifty complaining about Hydroponic’s habit of smoking and leaving the toilet seat up.
“What's a Neanderthingy?” asked Hydroponic as he finished docking his ship and engaged the docking clamps.
Nifty stood up and scowled down at him. “How did Blackarachnia ever put up with you for so long?”
Hydroponic scratched at the stubble on his face, and without thinking reached and pulled a cigar out of his breast pocket.
“Separate toilets and the fact we regularly got to blow things up and shoot people,” he said with a shrug. “How does he put up with you?”
“You light that stinky thing and I'll shove it where the sun doesn’t shine,” Nifty warned him.
Hydroponic returned the cigar to his pocket with a sigh.

The two disembarked and an Ick officer led them straight up to Wickede's office. Walking straight in Nifty took in the scene before her in an instant. Wickede lay on the floor holding his left arm, blood pumping through his fingers. Snoodgrass stood before him blocking a large figure in a long black cloak that held a small gun aimed at them. As they walked in the figure spun to face them bringing the gun to bear then stopped, staggering back. His face was hidden beneath the hood of the coat.
Hydroponic had his own pistol half drawn but Nifty spoke, stopping all movement in the room.
“What the bloody hell are you doing, you stupid fool?”
The figure’s gun dropped from his hand, but still he didn't speak. All in the room remained still as Nifty walked forwards towards the would-be assassin.
“It's a good job the Book told me where to find you or where would we be?” She glanced over at Snoodgrass. “You'd better call for a medi team while I find out why my stupid bloody husband thought there was a need to shoot your Emperor.”
The figure slumped back and pulled back his hood, revealing his shocked face.
“You haven't been looking after yourself, and you're not eating enough. Look how skinny you're looking,” Nifty continued scolding the bounty hunter. Finally she stood before him and stopped. “What's up, you not even got a hug for me? Typical, you bugger off gallivanting around without a word and just stand there like a naughty schoolboy when I finally catch up with you.”
Blackarachnia seemed to finally focus on what was happening. “Nifty?” he managed to croak.
“It’s me,” she said, softly raising her hand to his face. “Now pull yourself together and explain to Wickede why you shot him. We will have a little talk about why you left me with that ape of a friend of yours later, and by talk, I mean you get to listen while I talk.”
Blackarachnia looked over to Hydroponic and then nodded in response to Nifty’s words, still in shock. “It was the voices, they told me Wickede killed Alienbutt.”
Snoodgrass had helped Wickede to his feet, while the officer who had escorted them had gone to get a medi team. He looked up at Blackarachnia's words, and leaving Wickede to be led to a chair by Hydroponic, walked over to where Blackarachnia and Nifty stood.
“Please let me look at your eyes, Blackarachnia,” he said, pulling out a small device from his belt and gently moving Nifty so he stood in front of the bounty hunter. He held it up to his eyes and pressed a button, switching on a green light. “We need to get you to the medi bay too. Someone tried mind control on you at some point. It failed but left a link to your subconscious for them to send you instructions. You've been getting subliminal messages trying to urge you to do things. I had this little device made after the assassination attempt on Commander Kali, as I thought it would come in useful.”
“Mr Fluffy,” Nifty stated. “It has to have happened when you were in stasis.”
Turning back to Wickede, Snoodgrass smiled. “Looks like you can't have him arrested for shooting you. We'll get you both sorted, then we need a full command meeting.”

To be continued.
All Images are mine.